Marvel Tales Featuring Spider-Man #252

Marvel Tales Featuring Spider-Man #252 was released by Marvel Comics in September 1991 as part of an ongoing reprint series. This particular issue served as a direct reprint of The Amazing Spider-Man #252, which had originally debuted in 1984 to celebrate the twenty-second anniversary of the character's first appearance. The primary historical significance of the issue lies in the content it preserves, specifically the introduction of Spider-Man's iconic black symbiotic costume following the events of the Secret Wars limited series.

The cover art for the original issue was famously illustrated by Ron Frenz and Brett Breeding, who designed the image as a deliberate homage to the cover of The Amazing Fantasy #15, Spider-Man's first appearance. By mimicking the layout and positioning of Steve Ditko's original 1962 work, the creative team aimed to ground the new black-suited era of the character within his foundational history. The design remains highly regarded by collectors for its clever visual bridge between the character's origins and his mid-eighties evolution.